Nothing Can Stop the Love and Devotion

© Felipe Barandiarán

BY FELIPE BARANDIARÁN

Vigil of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

Evening slowly falls in Cova de Iría. The reflection of the last rays of the sun on the horizon gives the esplanade of the Fatima apparitions a melancholic air . . . this time a bit sad.

Little by little, the pilgrims arrive in collected silence, with sanitary masks hiding their expressions. Four months have passed without permission to approach the Virgin, government measures having restricted mobility. Now, finally, they feel freer, even if only a 7,500 person capacity is allowed, compared to the half a million that ordinarily gathered there on the night of May 12.

Yet, the faith of the pilgrims does not fade; they draw near with a spirit of penance and prayer, as the Virgin asked in Fatima. Each family group respectfully remains socially distanced along the entire esplanade, without moving from the white circles marked on the ground that have been assigned to them.

In the circle I have occupied on behalf of America Needs Fatima, there are all of you, 13,598 families. Your names were engraved on the banner of the Virgin carried by my traveling companion, Luis Augusto Rodríguez. As I took some photos, there was a slightly cool breeze, forcing us to bundle up. Gradually, we were enveloped in darkness. It was already 9:30 pm on the basilica clock. Brightly lit, it glowed like a brilliant jewel in the night. At its feet, invading the entire esplanade, a sea of candles moved gently, accompanying the hymns in honor of the Virgin. In my hands, which were yours, the rosary. And on my lips, your names.

In addition to honoring Our Lady’s first apparition, as a special project of America Needs Fatima, the roses delivered in May are a token of love from our supporters in honor of their earthly mothers—alive and deceased—and their intentions. To this end, we offer a variety of colors, each color representing a different sentiment from the giver.